Petunia plant named ‘Fipetpipic’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Fipetpipic’, characterized by its compact, outwardly spreading and mounding growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers with white-colored margins; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIPETPIPIC’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fipetpipic’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching Petunia plants with early and freely flowering habit, and attractive flower color.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2006 in De Lier, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111020, not patented, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111030, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fipetpipic’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fipetpipic’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, outwardly spreading and mounding growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large red purple-colored flowers with white-colored margins.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have red-colored flowers with white-colored margins.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are not as upright as plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have purple-colored flowers with white-colored margins.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia×hybrida ‘Fort Impropurplepic’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,334. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Petunia differed from plants of ‘Fort Impropurplepic’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more compact and trailing than         and not as upright as plants of ‘Fort Impropurplepic’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Fort Impropurplepic’ differed         in flower color as plants of ‘Fort Impropurplepic’ had dark         violet-colored flowers with white-colored margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fipetpipic’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 10.5-cm containers during the spring and early summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaging 18° C. Plants were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Fipetpipic’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111020.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111030. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at             temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six to eight days at             temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 19             days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 14 to 21             days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, outwardly spreading and             mounding growth habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about six             primary lateral branches each with multiple secondary             lateral branches; pinching is typically not required.         -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 40 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 16 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; viscid.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent;             viscid.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             143C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A;             venation, close to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 143C; venation, close to 143C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Relatively large             salverform flowers arranged singly arising from leaf axils;             freely flowering habit with usually about 50 flowers             developing per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants typically beginning             flowering about 6.5 weeks after planting; plants flower             continuously from late spring into the autumn in The             Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Length: About             2.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color: Close to 59B.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 3.5 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Tube length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Tube diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.5 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire.             Petal lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:             Densely pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to N57A; towards the margin,             close to NN155D; venation, close to 59B; center color             becoming closer to 70A with development. Petal, when opening             and fully opened, lower surface: Close to N57C; towards the             margin, close to 59B; venation, close to 59B. Throat: Close             to N57C and 59B; venation, darker than 59A. Tube: Close to             59A; venation, close to 59B.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals per flower, sepals fused at the base. Sepal length:             About 2.3 cm. Sepal width: About 7 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly             oblong. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal             texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent;             viscid. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Angle:             About 40° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Densely pubescent; viscid. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.8 cm. Filament color: Close to             N155D and 157D. Anther shape: Broadly reniform. Anther             length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 157A. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 157A. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.3 cm. Style             length: About 1.7 cm. Style color: Close to 145C. Stigma             shape: Flattened, three-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 143A             and 145B. Ovary color: Close to 145A. Fruits/seeds: Fruit             and seed development have not been observed on plants of the             new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia. 

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Fipetpipic’ as illustrated and described. 